It’s so nice to relax after a hard day's work by the fountain made by your own hands with a cool, soothing murmur of water. Even a small decorative fountain on a summer cottage will become not only a bright decoration of the landscape, but also a favorite corner for relaxation, in which you can enjoy unity with nature. It will not be difficult to give yourself this incomparable pleasure if you realize the idea yourself, knowing how to make a fountain in the country with your own hands.
Choosing the right place
Fountains for the garden - the best way to solve the problem of humidification in the hot summer months. Regardless of the style in which the hydraulic installation will be carried out, whether it be classic, rustic, oriental, avant-garde, it will be a striking touch in landscape design. Fascinating overflow of water flows, playing in the sun with all the colors of the rainbow, will not leave anyone indifferent.
The key to a successful choice of a place for a fountain is proportionality with the appearance of the site and the general harmony of the garden.
When choosing a place, it is important to consider the possibility of connecting to a power supply for smooth operation of the pump
Determining the location of the fountain, one should start from the presence and degree of land slope. It is better if the installation is located in a lowland, which will increase the saturation of air with moisture, as well as adjust the volume of groundwater.
It is undesirable to place fountains:
- in too open places of the site, as direct sunlight will provoke the "bloom" of water;
- near trees, since powerful roots can deform the fountain bowl and damage the waterproofing, and foliage from trees, fruits, seeds and fluff, falling into the pond, can cause malfunctions;
- in the immediate vicinity of the house so that wind flows do not bring moisture to the walls of the building.
The most successful place is a site that is well viewed from the house and from various corners of the garden.
Preparing a suitable container
When deciding to create a fountain with your own hands in the garden, it is important to choose or make a tank for a hydraulic installation on your own.
As a fountain bowl, you can use ready-made plastic containers of various shapes that allow for reliable waterproofing
To create larger fountains, it is required to dig a pit, at the bottom of which a foundation for future construction will be equipped. The bottom of the dug hole under the fountain is covered with a layer of sand, the side walls are strengthened with bricks. After that, the inner surface of the tank can be covered with plastic wrap, which does not allow water to pass through. Sealing surface joints can be achieved by treating them with frost-resistant silicone.
An important point: the level of penetration of the base should be below the soil level. Such placement will eliminate the possibility of washing the soil around the fountain bowl
Near the edge of the surface, emergency draining can be provided, the presence of which will not allow water to rise above the required level.
Craftsmen, creating a fountain with their own hands in the country, use any waste materials: natural stones, river pebbles, car tires, glass products, ceramic details
The main requirement that is presented to the material is high strength characteristics and the ability to withstand temperature extremes.
The finished bowl can be filled with water.
Pump system installation
It is impossible to launch a fountain for giving without connecting its "heart" - a powerful pump that provides continuous movement of a powerful stream. The success of the long-term operation of the fountain directly depends on the correct choice of pump. The general principle of the system is quite simple: the water discharged through the nozzle is collected in a bowl. From the bowl, it flows into the drain hole, from where it enters the pipeline and, as it moves, first undergoes a rough and later finer cleaning. The pump from the pipeline pumps already purified water to the nozzle.
Thinking about the question of how to make a fountain in the country, it is imperative to provide for the installation of a drainage system. The piping for the system can be equipped with plastic pipes with a diameter of about 16 mm. Plastic is characterized by excellent performance and a long service life. Plastic construction easily connects with a special soldering iron.
Decorative garden fountains are equipped mainly with circulation pumps, in which water is taken from the bowl, passing a circle, is dumped back into the fountain
The pump power directly depends on the capacity of the fountain bowl, as well as the estimated power of the jet, which will be knocked out of the water with a bright firework.
It is possible to supplement the fountain's water circulation system by installing a receiver - a pressure tank. Installing the receiver allows you to provide constant pressure for water to enter the nozzle and stable operation of the system as a whole. With this configuration, water is pumped into the receiver by a pump, and then transferred to the nozzle located a level lower.
The action of cascading fountains is based on the same principle.
The water in the cascade smoothly flows down a small waterfall along several steps located at different levels
After installation, the pump should be checked for operability and only after that it should be decorated with decorative elements.
Recommendations for choosing the right pump for the fountain: //diz-cafe.com/voda/nasos-dlya-fontana-i-vodopada.html
Optional equipment
Installation of additional equipment for the fountain will allow you to transform and diversify the design.
Special nozzles allow you to give the jets of discharged water the most unusual forms: geysers, tulips, domes, umbrellas, hemispheres
The combination of nozzles and the effect of the forms formed by them allows you to create fancy water paintings.
Additional illumination in an amazing way transforms the fountain for giving, giving it a magical effect. Since light sources often come in contact with water and are located directly in the body of the fountain, increased requirements should be placed on their choice: water-protected contacts, hermetic design.
More ideas for nozzles for fountains: //diz-cafe.com/voda/nasadki-dlya-fontanov.html
Decorative illumination, disguised at the bottom of the reservoir, will delight the eye in the coming twilight with the effect of the glow of water
Underwater lighting devices, as well as all kinds of floating lights, are very popular for fountains.
A curious version of the decor is a small water mill. Manufacture Instructions: //diz-cafe.com/voda/vodyanaya-melnica-svoimi-rukami.html
Proper maintenance of the fountain will help extend the life of the hydraulic installation: it is advisable to dismantle removable structural elements for the winter period. The tank itself with the onset of cold weather should be emptied of water and covered securely with a film that protects from dust, dirt and precipitation.
